Tempered Steel
by DPAK
Summary: Tempering is the most delicate process of forging a sword. If you do anything wrong, it can cause the sword to become brittle and likely to chip and dull with ease. Jeong Jeong/Piandao
1. Prologue

A/N: XD I'm actually writing a srs bsns multi-chapter fic. The world is doomed. Anywhoose, I had shared one of my Avatarverse theories with Kira73 (on DA) not long ago about how Jeong Jeong received his scars... and why Piandao left the army. She told me I should turn it into a fic. So I am.

I really shouldn't be posting the prologue yet considering I haven't even finished writing Chapter 1 yet... But I wanted to get it out and up already.

WARNING: There will be at least implied slash in this fic. If you don't like the idea of two guys doing it, don't bother reading the rest of it. I'm a supporter of Jeongdao (Jeong Jeong/Piandao) so yeah... be expecting it if you hang around. XD I don't know when chapter 1 will be finished, but it may take some time considering everything I have on my plate right now.

DISCLAIMER: Avatar doesn't belong to me. If it did, there would be several spin-offs to explain the plotholes of the seires.

* * *

The sun was beginning to set as he began the finishing touches on his newest sword. He had been working on her the entire day and, now wiping the sweat from his brow, he had just entered the tempering phase. He would inspect her carefully for brittleness tonight and, if he deemed her worthy, he would sharpen her in the morning. Much like during his calligraphy sessions, he strictly urged Fat to not interrupt him unless it was of vital importance. There were few things worse than interrupting the delicate process of sword-making.

Steam rose as he dipped the red-hot metal into the water. He pulled it up carefully, smiling at his reflection in the steel. She looked beautiful.

"Master Piandao."

The tongs nearly slipped from his fingers and the sword dipped dangerously low to the stone floor. Fat had startled him with the sudden interruption and it nearly cost him his flawless weapon. He shot him a mild glare as he steadied the tongs and the sword, taking a few moments before he deemed it safe to set the warm metal on the mantle above the hearth. "This had best be important, Fat."

"Someone is here to see you."

"Who is so important that you had to interrupt the most delicate portion of the forging process?" He asked, pulling up his coat and fastening it.

"I asked and he respond: 'One who has eaten the fruit and tasted its mysteries'."

Eyebrows raising, he stepped out into the yard. A chill ran down his spine as a breeze whipped the cool night air around him. He had sensed it was almost time for the Order to be called to meet; he had known since Sokka had left his house to prepare to fight the Fire Lord.

Fat walked ahead of him and opened the gate to reveal a man, shorter than the both of them, enshrouded in a hooded cloak.

"Reveal yourself, player of the White Lotus Gambit." It was an unnecessary order; Piandao could easily identify the man by his unmistakable beard. Hands grasped the sides of the hood and pulled it back, Iroh smiled at him.

"It is a pleasure to see you again, Master Piandao." The Grand Lotus and Piandao exchanged bows.

"The pleasure is mine." Piandao stood upright, smoothing out a few wrinkles in his coat. He smiled, "It has been far too long, old friend. You have been well?"

"As well as a man can be when he doesn't get his daily dose of tea." The statement was followed by a hearty laugh; the sword master shook his head and chuckled. The laughter died out and a serious expression covered the former general's wrinkled face, "It is time for the Order to reconvene."

"I was expecting such." A sliver of hope sprinkled his voice as he asked, "Will you be able to contact all the members?"

"It will be difficult to reach some of them, but I have faith I will before the Comet arrives. It will take all of our combined skills to be able to reclaim Ba Sing Se."

Piandao nodded, inwardly smiling. He was thrilled to be able to help the Order and be reunited with the other Masters. He was ecstatic for the reunion with the man who had opened his eyes to the truth about the tyrannical Fire Nation nearly 30 years ago, time that seemed to have flown by when he reflected on it. The man who he had scarred in a fight; the man who recruited him to the White Lotus Society. The legendary deserter: Master Jeong Jeong.

His joy sank to despair as the thoughts sank in. The Master may not even want to see him; he had heard that the fire bending prodigy had become a hermit, dark and bitter, more-so than he had been during their last encounter. Grand Lotus Iroh might not even be able to locate him since he had vanished from the public eye.

A sigh escaped his lips and he asked, quiet and hesitant, "Will Master Jeong Jeong be coming?"

Iroh smiled again, he knew about Piandao's deep respect for the now miser. "He has already began traveling to the Earth Kingdom Capital. He will meet us there."

That was enough to elate his spirits for now. "When are we to report to camp?"

"Sozin's Comet is soon to come. You should leave as soon as possible."

The men exchanged bows again and Iroh pulled the hood back over his head.

"Won't you stay the night? It's not safe for you to be out traveling…"

"I have more members to contact; I can't waste any time." Iroh turned and began walking away. He waved back, rich voice booming, "We will meet again soon enough."

Piandao smiled again as the Grand Lotus began singing, "It's a long, long way to Ba Sing Se…" as he vanished into the darkness.

The next day he sharpened his new sword; she would be joining him on this journey. Fat had packed the belongings he would need for travel and readied the giant eelhound to save time.

He entered the stable as his loyal servant finished tying the bags to the eelhound's saddle, his new sword sheathed on his back. He rubbed the eelhound's snout and he snorted happily. Piandao had raised the eelhound, Kisu, from when it was a pup and he was more loyal than any animal he had known. "Are you ready, old boy? We have a long journey ahead of us."

Kisu nuzzled his hand in response. Fat stepped away from the beast, his task complete. He bowed, "May the Spirits watch over you during your travels."

"Thank you, Fat." He patted the man on the shoulder. "We will be victorious, I am certain."

Mounting the eelhound, he let out a sigh. The journey would be a long one; a lot of time with nothing to do would leave too much room for his mind to wander. But he knew exactly where his thoughts would take him.

_Jeong Jeong. How are you old friend? _

Kisu trotted out into the yard and through the gate before he bumped his side with his foot to command a speed increase. His grip tightened on the reigns as he went into full gallop and they tore across the landscape.

_I pray you won't shut me out when we meet again._


	2. Malleable

A/N: So I didn't think I would be abl to churn out the first chapter until sometime next week... but we were watching a movie in my Western Civ 2 class and I managed to write the rough draft. I was tempted to hold off on posting it for a couple days, but I'm one of those people that likes to post upon completion. I'm weird like that.

NOTES: In my Avatarverse, Piandao is about the same age as Zhao (which, according to Avatar Wikia is 54) which makes him about 5-6 years younger than Jeong Jeong. I also decided that I wanted to see Piandao fight Zhao, so yeah... That's what this entire chapter was based on... I'm still not good at writing battle sequences, so the Agni Kai was a bit of a challenge, but I didn't do a bad job of it, did I?

ALSO: Avatards, did you know? Giant eelhounds love apples. (Totally wasn't inspired by Death Note for that... nope, not at all. ; )

ALL CHARACTERS ARE FROM AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER, WHICH DOESN'T BELONG TO ME. IF IT DID, THERE WOULD BE PLENTY OF SPIN-OFFS TO EXPLAIN ALL THE FREAKIN' PLOTHOLES. AND THIS WOULD BE CANON. :3

* * *

The scenery blurred into an endless sea of fields- hills like sandbars and forests like islands- as Kisu kept the fast pace set hours ago in the mid-morning sun. Eyes focused on the road ahead, Piandao tried to keep his mind on the battle that awaited him in Ba Sing Se. Tried and failed.

Intense golden eyes much like a messenger hawk's loomed in his mind, intriguing and refusing to be ignored. They pulled his attention away from strategizing, away from the road, into memories he only reflected on when he could not keep his mind occupied. His mind's eye zoomed out, connecting the gold eyes to the round, handsome face they perfected. The snow white hair, odd for any citizen of the Fire Nation despite age, was pulled back into a tight, Army-standard topknot. No scars marred this memory's face; those would be added later, when the Admiral was no longer in uniform. This was how he had looked when they first met, before things fell into place and Jeong Jeong abandoned the Army.

--

_To say that he felt at home in the barracks would be an outright lie; to say he felt like an outsider among his fellow soldiers, an understatement. Piandao had never felt like he belonged- not in the orphanage where his parents abandoned him when he was five and not in the Army where he was one of the few nonbenders allowed into the service. His rage from abandonment and his desire to prove his worth fueled him during longs hours of sword practice; the distraction he received from painting and calligraphy kept him from becoming bitter and depressed._

_His skill with swords had first been noticed when he was ten and now, at age 22, he had finally been accepted into the Fire Nation Army. His parents, assuming they were still alive, should be both proud and ashamed. They had birthed a prodigy and then shunned him for not being a bender. He would prove to them- and everyone else that doubted him- that he was indeed worthy. So what if he wasn't a fire bender? He didn't need bending to be a great warrior; all he needed were a sharp mind and a sharper sword._

_His intense practicing paid off; he was more skilled with a sword than any of the other recruits. He was able to keep up with the veterans, the self-declared weapons masters, and nearly beat them in practice. In close-quarters combat, he was able to best many of his fire bending comrades with strategy and agility._

_Ensign Zhao noted his ability and took personal offense to the young sword master's prowess in battle. He claimed that a nonbender could not possibly defeat a decent fire bender in battle, that Piandao had only beaten novices who didn't know up from down let alone the first thing about battling._

"_That's exactly the thing only pompous buffoons would say behind the back of someone they fear." Piandao replied, rolling his eyes. "And that makes you the exact kind of person that wouldn't be worth my time to fight."_

_Temper flaring, Zhao challenged him to an Agni Kai. Several of the men on his squad urged him to not accept it, as it wasn't fair to pit a nonbender against an experienced fire bender._

"_Besides," One of them stressed, "An Agni Kai is only supposed to take place between two fire benders."_

_They all knew of the "great" Zhao- a prodigy of the art whose inflated ego was matched only by his temper- and his merciless nature in fights; they urged him to back down from the challenge._

"_I will not accept such a dishonor from denying the challenge." He would prove himself to them and bring Ensign Zhao down a few notches as well._

_They met in the arena that evening after dinner, a large crowd filled the stadium. Cheers and mixed jabbering filled the arena as the soldiers place bets on who would win and if the loser would die. Many of them were hoping Piandao would damage Ensign Zhao's ego; at least the sword master wasn't an arrogant bully._

_Sword poised in a defensive stance but prepared to make first strike if necessary, Piandao stared his opponent down in quiet, strategically reflection. Zhao wore a cocky smirk, he was planning on a win._

_One of the men, a soldier under Zhao's command, rang the gong, signaling them to begin the battle._

_Zhao made the first move, fist swinging forward to fire a blast at his new rival. Piandao had expected as much and leapt to the side, easily avoiding the flame. Zhao took a step forward and shot another ball of fire as Piandao dodged and dashed forward, preparing to strike. The sword swung forward, Zhao pulled in his gut too quick and stumbled back as the blade narrowly missed. Piandao took this chance to stab forward, into the air to the left of Zhao's head as the Ensign regained his balance; this was an intentional blow to harm his pride instead of his body._

_Zhao growled as the sword cut through his sideburn; he had just started growing them out a month ago with his promotion. Now he would be forced to shave the other one down and start over. He ducked under the next swing and leaned back on his hands, sweeping the ground with a flaming kick. Piandao was forced to step back and Zhao sprung back to his feet, studying his opponent for the first time since the match began._

_Piandao's eyes were closed, face focused, calm. This only proved to be further irritation to the seething officer. His fists flew forward, intense flames extending and separating from them. Piandao stepped back, to the left, ducked, rolled out of the way. His eyes opened as he regained his footing and dove forward, aiming for Zhao's shins._

_Zhao's eyes widened as he stumbled back and, unable to keep his ground, fell with a lack of grace, his head hitting the ground hard. He glared up at Piandao as his vision refocused; the swordsman step forward, weapon pointed at him. His glare hardened when the tip poked into his neck, breaking the skin and drawing a small amount of blood._

_Feeling his point was made, Piandao pulled his sword away from his fallen foe and returned it to the sheath tied to his hip. Loud cheering erupted in the stadium and he turned to bow to the crowd. A harsh cry caught his attention and he glanced over his shoulder to see Zhao preparing to unleash an angry fireball at him. He readied himself to dodge out of its path when a wall of fire rose behind him and blocked it._

"_That's enough, Zhao." The wall dissolved into the air, revealing a stern man standing at Zhao's side. Piandao quickly identified the man as Admiral Jeong Jeong, one of the greatest benders in Fire Nation history. He was surprised to note that the Admiral didn't appear to be much older than he, five years difference at most. He found himself amused as the Admiral continued to chastise the angry Ensign, "You must learn to take your defeats with honor."_

_Zhao growled again and stormed off to nurse his bruised ego in private. Admiral Jeong Jeong gave Piandao a look over and the swordsman was caught off guard by the intensity he found in those eyes. They pierced through him, burning into his soul, branding his memory. Humbled under the gaze, he pressed his fist into his palm and bowed to the Admiral._

"_I apologize for my pupil's disrespect." Gruff and unapologetic, Admiral Jeong Jeong turned to leave. Piandao straightened and, unabashed, stared at the retreating figure. There was something about the way the Admiral carried himself, something about the blunt way he spoke, that commanded respect from all those around him. "You are gifted, Piandao. Do not let your skills corrupt your thinking."_

"_Yes sir. Thank you, sir."_

_Admiral Jeong Jeong marched off, head high, shoulders back, into the setting sun. Piandao felt incredible pride swell through his being as his squad mates- along with a large crowd of soldiers he didn't know- surrounded him, cheering for him and clapping his shoulder as they offered their congratulations._

_For the first time in his life, he felt like he belonged._

_--_

The sun blazed high in the sky over the coast, blanketing the shore in hot rays to counter the cool tide. They were making good time and could afford a break before starting across the vast sea that separated the nations. Piandao pulled back on the reigns and Kisu slowed, stopped. He dismounted and led the eelhound into the shade of a grove of palm trees lining the coast. He loosed one of the bags from the saddle and opened it, pulling out a large wooden bowl and the leather water bag. He pulled the stopper out and poured the cool liquid into the bowl before offering it to his steed. Kisu lapped it up and gave his master a chirping bark of gratitude.

Piandao smiled and scratched the scaly skin behind the creature's tiny ear before returning to the satchel and removing his lunch. He tossed the apples in the pack to Sifu; apples were the eelhound's favorite treat.

"Rest easy, boy. We'll begin traveling again after we eat." He sat, leaning against the trunk of one of the larger palms. Kisu curled up to his left, watery eyes observing the water as he ate the apples, core and all. Piandao took a bite out of the roasted sparrowquail packed for his meal. If they kept this pace, they would reach Earth Kingdom shores by nightfall and arrive at the Chameleon Bay before dawn.

He closed his eyes as the sea breeze circled him, his sleeves billowing in the slight wind. He knew that when he saw the ex-Admiral again, he should expect changes. He knew there would be wrinkles on that noble face now as there were on his own; they were both growing old after all. He hoped, prayed, that those beautiful golden eyes had not lost any of their intensity over the years. Jeong Jeong wouldn't be the man he admired without those eyes that peered through him, electrifying his senses with their stubbornness, forcing him to adore them. If those eyes were dull and soft now, he would mourn the loss of the man he had once fallen for.


	3. Forging

A/N: I like some parts of this, but for the most part it's kinda BLAH for me. ;;;;

And I created another Avatar OC... well, kinda. Lao Phan. He was about 20 or so when Piandao hired him. You can guess which real Avatar character he's connected to. XD

* * *

_The next time Piandao had seen the Admiral had been unexpected. He had went off base with his art supplies and headed to a cliff overlooking the nearby Weaving Dragon river. He spent most of the day meditating, concentrating on nature and, as the sun began to set, he pulled out his supplies to capture the scene on paper. Careful brushstrokes accented the highlights of the retreating sun reflected on the running water, precise flicks of the wrist showed the wind blowing the grass on the far bank. _

_He pulled his brush away from the paper as he felt another presence join him, not wanting to let this new distraction cause him to make a fatal mistake. He looked over his shoulder; Admiral Jeong Jeong stood behind him, hands clasped behind his back, studying the landscape._

"_I thought everyone in this army was too akin to savagery to appreciate the beauty of nature." Something was strange in the Admiral's voice, something conflicting._

_Piandao gave him a nod and went back to finishing his work. The Admiral said nothing else, just stood there as day faded into night. Piandao let the painting dry before rolling it up and placing it in his bag. The two soldiers walked back to base in complete silence, the swordsman trailing behind his superior out of respect._

_That was the last Piandao saw of the Admiral before he deserted the army._

A gentle sea breeze misted Piandao as Kisu bobbed and weaved through the rolling waves. His grips on the reigns slackened, holding on just enough to make sure he didn't slip off. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, but he knew that could change in the blink of an eye. He was wary of any signs of a storm.

_After his Agni Kai victory, Piandao became well known on base, given a promotion to First Sergeant Officer Candidate and extra pay to train the new recruits in weapons proficiency. A year passed by, he earned his Second Lieutenant rank. Admiral Jeong Jeong had been on duty in the Earth Kingdom for nearly as long, Ensign Zhao accompanied him for further training between missions._

"_Lieutenant Piandao, you have new orders from the General, sir." A sergeant respectively approached him, a scroll clutched in his outstretched hand. Piandao took the scroll and waved the soldier off and waited for the man to bow and leave before unrolling it._

"_**Lieutenant Piandao,**_

_**Admiral Jeong Jeong has deserted the navy according to Ensign Zhao's most recent reports. The Ensign will be returning to the capital as soon as possible and news of the Admiral's desertion will be spread then.**_

_**Your orders are to select a squad of men to accompany you to locate Jeong Jeong and persuade him to return. If he does not comply, take him by force as your prisoner. You will be deployed in a week's time; choose your men wisely and carefully.**_

_**General Iroh**__"_

_He stared at the scroll longer than necessary, making a failed attempt at comprehending the situation. No one deserted the Fire Nation, especially not an Admiral. With a sigh, he rolled the parchment back up. He had no time to dally on the reasons behind Jeong Jeong's actions. He had to select his squad and prepare to track down the deserter._

…

_Ensign Zhao had been furious when he was informed that his rival was in charge of the search-and-recover mission; he had been boiling with rage to discover he was not even selected to accompany the squad. Piandao found the reaction most amusing._

…

_His sources in the Earth Kingdom informed him that the ex-Admiral (or at least someone resembling him) had been spotted by a traveling merchant deep in the woods outside Gaoling village. The men set up camp outside the village and began their search the day after their arrival. They searched the woods for a week, finding nothing but a scrap of red cloth stuck to a briervine. With reluctance, Piandao decided to bring in an outside source._

"_We heard you can track down any man." Piandao gave a stern look to the burly man before him. He hated resorting to using a bounty hunter, but his men needed a decent lead._

_The bounty hunter, Lao Phan, was notorious in these parts for his perfect hunt record and his ability to out drink any one. Three scars trailed from his left cheek bone down to his jaw; he was rumored to have gotten them in a fight against wild tigerfox. Bangs hung over his dark headband and the rest of his black hair was held back loosely in a topknot holder designed to look like a skull. His outfit was nicer than most of the average Earthkingdomers in the bar; a custom-made combination of a water tribe tunic and Fire nation long coat, the same shade of dark crimson as his headband._

"_Of course I can. For the right price, that is." Lao Phan gave him a toothy grin as he leaned back, propping his feet up on the wooden table. The shoddy tavern was hardly a place to make any type of arrangement, but the hunter refused to leave the bar unless he had a bounty to track._

_Piandao rolled his eyes and untied a satin pouch from his belt, gold coins clinked against each other inside it. He slid the bag across the table and Lao Phan let out a low whistle as he peeked inside. "Consider that a down payment. You'll receive double that after you locate this man." He pulled out a drawing of Jeong Jeong as well as the scrap of cloth his men had found earlier. The bounty hunter took the items and studied the portrait._

"_I'll get you where you need to be, soldier boy. Don't worry about that." Lao Phan downed his shot and stood, a bit tipsy for it to still be daylight outside. Piandao followed him out, glad to be away from the stench of alcohol and stupidity that filled every inch of the tavern._

…

_Lao Phan led their hunt the next morning, sober now. He held the cloth in front of his Grizzlyhound and let it get the scent; the beast jerked forward as it picked up a scent trail. Piandao was amazed that Lao Phan could keep a hold on the metal link leash considering the creature's size. The lumbering beast led them through the dense woods, bringing them close to the swamp. His men were growing tired of walking._

"_Come on, boys. Iylan is still hot on the trail!" Lao Phan gave them a smirk, reaching out to pet his snarling grizzly hound. The animal tugged at it's leash, showing how much it desired to keep moving._

_Branches snapped to their left; Piandao's eyes narrowed as he tried to find the source. Primative Earth kingdom men emerged from the trees, most wearing crude armor made from treebark, spears raised offensively. As his men prepared to fight them off, Piandao caught a flash of white in the distance. Sword drawn, he rushed past the natives, yelling back, "Men! Take care of these savages! I'm going for the Admiral!"_

…

"_Admiral Jeong Jeong!" He called, gaining ground on the fleeing man. Jeong Jeong shot him a glare before darting into the trees. Piandao frowned, continuing his chase. "Halt! Listen to reason!"_

_Jeong Jeong refused to stop, continuing his escape attempt. Piandao studied the landscape quickly and determined the best course, cutting through a patch of bushes to put himself closer. After minutes of pursuing, Piandao finally got within attacking distance of the ex-Admiral. He stretched the sheath of his sword out, under Jeong Jeong's feet; he only wanted to trip the man up, no need to injure him yet. _

_His target stumbled. "Do not make me fight you, Piandao!"_

"_If you will agree to come back with me, there will be no need to fight."_

_Jeong Jeong glared up at him, "Return to where? That horrible, tyrannical place I used to call home?!"_

"_The Fire Nation is not-"_

"_Are you so stupid that you let them brainwash you?! The Fire Nation is nothing more than a bunch of brutal savages wreaking havoc on the balance of the world!"_

_Piandao sighed, drawing his sword back, "I have orders to take you back by any means necessary… I was hoping it would not come to this."_

_He swung the sword forward, Jeong Jeong side-stepped, moving to counter the blow and knock the sword from his hand. This attempt was a mistake on the Admiral's part; he miscalculated his distance and the sword cut into his flesh by his right temple. The back of his fist connected squarely with Piandao's wrist, causing the sword to slip in his grasp. The blade swiped his skin again, closer to his eye this second time, as it bounced up and out of the Lieutenant's grasp. His hand flew up to the bleeding wounds as the sword hit the ground._

"_Admiral, will you listen to me n-" Piandao's question was cut off as something heavy collided with the backside of his head. He sank to the ground, pain spreading through his body and blacking out his vision. As his vision faded to nothing, he could see the ex-Admiral standing over and glaring down at him with one eye. A group of natives like the ones he saw earlier surrounded him in a half-circle. He fainted._

Dark clouds rolled in, wind and waves picking up around them. Piandao feared the impending storm; storms were bad enough on a ship, they would be worse on an animal. Kisu flinched at the first roll of thunder and flinched in panic at the sight of lightening. Piandao gripped the reigns tighter, hoping the storm would hold off for just a bit longer. He could see the shore in the distance.

Agni be praised, his hopes were a reality. The first drops of rain started as Kisu padded onto land from shallow waters. They took shelter under a canopy of trees a mile from the coast until the rain moved south.

Night settled in after the storm left; starlight guided them on their quest to Ba Sing Se. Uneasiness set up camp in Piandao's stomach. It was only a matter of hours before he was reunited with the Order of the White Lotus, with Jeong Jeong.

_I still don't know why you spared me that day. I was blind and foolish then, but you saved me… I wish…_

His thoughts trailed off as the city walls rose in the horizon.


	4. Fabrication

A/N: D: I'm such a bad authoress. I've been promising this chapter for like... 2 weeks now. D: And I still don't like it! D: Too many OCs, but they were necessary to keep the plot moving.

NO PROMISES ON WHEN THE NEXT PART WILL BE FINISHED. NANOWRIMO STARTS SOON.

* * *

He slowed Kisu down to a trot as the walls grew larger; if the White Lotus had already set up camp, he knew their defenses would be high. As he had expected, a large chunk of earth rose up from the ground in front of him, forming a wall. Kisu reared back, startled by the sudden wall upraised before him. Piandao jerked back on the reigns, steadying the eelhound back into a jittery halt.

"Well, well. Who do we have here?" A snorting laugh accompanied the question.

_***_

_Birds twittered in the distance as consciousness returned to him. Eyes opened slowly, registering the dark tent he was currently in. His head was pulsating with pain._

_The tent flap rustled, opening, allowing blinding daylight in to foster his migraine. He tried to sit up, too quick, meeting the eyes of one of the natives from before. The native's eyes widened and he exited the tent as quickly as he had appeared. Dizzy, Piandao fell back against the makeshift cot._

_Outside, he could hear an incomprehensible argument. He assumed it had something to do with him._

"_I see you are conscious again." Jeong Jeong stated, entering the tent. A crude bandage was tied around his right eye. _

"_Unfortunately." He looked up at the ceiling, away from the fire bender. It did not feel right to look in the eyes (Eye, he mentally corrected himself) of the man he had been told was a traitor._

"_Your wound was not deep; it should be healed soon. I had the villagers treat it before my own."_

_Piandao could feel that golden eye studying him, gauging his reaction to the statement. There were too many things that didn't make sense at the moment. The roaring pain in his head, however, drowned out any and all questions he might have posed at that moment._

_Jeong Jeong continued after a brief pause, "Tep, the man who was in here before myself, will return soon with food."_

_With that, he disappeared into the sunlight._

…

_Tep returned with a steamy bowl of some unidentifiable meat only a matter of minutes after Jeong Jeong had left. Piandao's stomach gurgled as the smell invaded his nostrils. He sat up, slow this time; hunger usurped the pounding in his head. Tep, wary of this stranger in his care, eyed him with great caution, refusing to budge from his spot at the entrance of the tent._

"_Without my sword, I'm mostly harmless." His lips quirked upward into a smirk; Tep shot him a glare._

"_Just because Jeong Jeong stuck up for you doesn't mean the rest of us trust you." His tone dripped venom, but Piandao was more shocked by how well the man spoke for one dressed so primitively. Tep stepped forward, thrusting the bowl toward him. Disdain trickled in his voice, "Eat. I'm sure it's not poisoned."_

_Piandao leaned forward, outstretched hands snatching the food away from the Earthkingdomer. Tep watched as he began to chow down, expression smug, before turning to leave. "And they call us savages…"_

…

_A woman entered his tent that evening, a bag tied to her hip and a bowl of water in her hands. Piandao gave her a curious stare from his place on the floor._

"_I'm here to check your injury." She said flatly, covering any fear she had of him as she maneuvered behind him. She crouched down and got down to business, slender hands moving his hair away from the cut. He could hear her smirk, "Wey really did hit you hard… It's a good thing that rock didn't have very many sharp edges."_

_Piandao grunted as one of her nails poked a bit to hard and close to the gap, sending a new shock of pain through him._

"_I cleaned it well when Jeong Jeong brought you in yesterday and it doesn't show any signs of infection." He could hear rustling as she rummaged through her bag. She reached around and held out a small white capsule to him. "Here, take this. It'll help with the pain."_

_He did as ordered, nearly gagging at the bitter taste of the pill as he let it sit on his tongue too long before swallowing. After his taste buds recovered, he cleared his throat. "I appreciate your care, miss…"_

"_Nava." She offered her name as she dipped the cloth in her hands into the bowl of water. She pressed it against the cut, dabbing away crusted blood. They sat in silence as she cleaned the wound, until she placed the wet cloth bag in her bag. "My husband told me to never trust a Fire Nation soldier. He said that you're all self-centered creatures of destruction."_

"_But you trust Jeong Jeong."_

_Nava continued to pack up her few supplies, "Jeong Jeong saved our village from being destroyed by that horrible monkey of a man with sideburns. We are returning the favor by housing and protecting him. That is not the same as trust."_

_Piandao fell silent as the woman stood, her ebony hair swaying against her back. She had nearly reached the door when he spoke up, "What happened to your husband?"_

_Pain took over her face; she did not give an answer, only made a hasty exit._

…

_Sleep did not come easily that night; he never had liked trying to sleep in unfamiliar territory. But it did come, restless as it may have been._

_When he woke the next morning, he was surprised to find his sword lying by his side, a parchment on top of it. He unrolled the letter, nodding as he read over it; he understood what he needed to do now. He stood, picking up his sword and strapping it across his back._

_It was going to be a nice walk back to his men._

…

_Lao Phan was still among the soldiers when he rejoined them. The bounty hunter gave him a smirk, "We were beginning to think you were dead."_

_Piandao rolled his eyes, pointing at one of the sergeant's in his squad, "Give the man his pay."_

_The soldier obeyed, tossing a bag of gold coins to the greedy hunter._

"_Your services are no longer needed."_

"_Whatever. I need some more booze anyway." Lao Phan snatched up the leash of his grizzlyhound and tugged on it. Iylan grunted, standing and lumbering with the man in the direction of Omashu._

"_Were you able to capture the Admiral?" One of his men asked._

_A stupid question; if he had, would the man not be with him right now, his prisoner?_

"_He managed to get away." A modification of the truth, a half-lie. "You were able to drive the savages off?"_

"_Most of them." The sergeant responded; he motioned to an isolated tent on the edge of the camp. "Sergeant Pire captured one of them."_

"_I see." Piandao turned, walking towards his own tent. "Make preparations to begin traveling north on the morrow."_

_Orders given, he retired to his tent; he had only a few hours for preparation._

…

_He relieved the night watch after the moon reached it's peak. He waited for hush to settle over the camp again; a wave of snoring gave him signal to slip into the prisoner's tent. The man glared at him, blues eyes (odd for one from the Earth Kingdom, he noted) burning into his skull._

"_Are you here to interrogate me?" Voice bitter, gravelly from thirst. "I won't tell you anything concerning Jeong Jeong so you may as well just return-"_

"_I'll only ask you once to stay quiet." Piandao stated, removing a key from his sleeve and unlocking the shackles that cuffed the man's arms and legs. "I am a friend of Jeong Jeong's; I'm not here to harm you."_

_The man refused to believe him, stubborn anger radiating from his being; at least he followed instructions about remaining quiet._

"_Your name is Sio, correct?" The man nodded; Piandao tossed the shackles, key still in the lock, to the side. "Your wife misses you."_

_Sio's eyes widened at the mention of Nava; he no longer seemed to care that this man was the enemy as he stood. Piandao signaled him to hold still for a moment as he went to the tent's entrance, sticking his head out and checking for clear surroundings. He turned back to Sio, motioning for him to exit. He was last to leave the tent, dropping off his letter of resignation where the prisoner once was._

…

"_Halt!" The villagers surrounded him, eyes cold until they spotted Sio standing beside him. They greeted their lost brother back with open arms and began back to the village; Sio signaled Piandao to follow._

…

_Nava burst into tears of joy when Sio emerged from behind the other men. She dropped her basket and ran to him, not caring that the fruit she had been carrying covered the ground. Her arms wrapped themselves around her husband's frame, locking him in her loving embrace. Piandao couldn't help but smile; he knew now that he was doing the right thing._

_Jeong Jeong placed a hand on his shoulder, lips drawn back into a smile. "Welcome back." _

_***_

"If it isn't Master Piandao!" Bumi grinned, snorted as he lowered the earth wall he had raised.

"It is wonderful to see you are still doing well, King Bumi." Piandao smiled and dismounted Kisu, bowing to the crazy old king after regaining his footing on the uneven ground. "I feared the worst after hearing of the capture of Omashu."

"It would take more than some silly firebenders to hold me prisoner." Bumi snorted again; he turned, his White Lotus cape billowing around him. "Come, come! I'll show you and your horse to your tent."

"He's an eelhound." He followed the slouched man to the camp, marveling at how many tents were already set up outside Ba Sing Se's parameters.

"Same difference."

It was useless trying to argue with the deranged king, so he let the topic drop. His grip on Sifu's reigns tightened as he spotted a mess of white hair.

"Bumi, what are you doing…" Jeong Jeong froze as he turned, eyes locking in on Piandao.


	5. Softened

A/N: Last update before NaNoWriMo starts. I almot hate to leave this story alone for nearly a month, so I might update it before the month is over (if I can find extra time for additional writing, that is).

I'm not that happy with this chapter. ALSO, to those of you who are reading, I has a question: flashbacks are going to start being less important to the story soon as I move more into what's going on in the present. The question: Would you care if the flashbacks became more random (by which I mean, bigger spaces in time between them; almost like drabbles of thier past, I guess... uh... like one flashback being their first kiss - which I do have written already XD- and then the following one would be a few weeks later... I dunno how to word it to get across what I mean exactly)?

* * *

"Bumi, what are you doing…" Jeong Jeong froze as he turned, eyes locking in on Piandao.

"Why I was just showing Master Piandao around camp." Bumi offered in response to the almost question.

Jeong Jeong's surprise quickly dissolved, leaving behind a harsh glare; he turned his head to avoid looking at the swordsman. A dull ache throbbed in Piandao's chest; this was not the reunion he had hoped for.

"Very well." Jeong Jeong walked around them, heading for the camp's border. "I will take your place for watch duties."

***

"_We can not stay here. The Fire Nation will send more men now that you have deserted as well." Jeong Jeong informed Piandao; the two were seated in Jeong Jeong's tent, discussing what their plan would be now that Piandao had left the army. "I do not wish to put this village at risk by staying here."_

"_Even if we leave, these people are still at risk. If the Fire Nation learns that they aided us, they will show no mercy. We should stay to defend them."_

_He shook his head, "The villagers are prepared to move when we leave. This seperation will be better in the long run."_

_Piandao processed this information; staying here and defending the village would work for a while… but the Fire Nation would send more troops than they could handle. He sighed, "When will we leave?"_

"_In two days. A few of the men have offered to travel with us."_

…

_They decided to head east, around the swamp, towards Omashu. There were several villages around the area that they could gather supplies; hopes were high they could reside safely in the city for a while._

"_Let us come with you." Sio offered. Nava stood at his side, a bag clutched in her slender hands._

"_You two go on with the rest of the villagers." Piandao smiled. "Go start a family and be happy. Jeong Jeong and I will be fine with the men we have."_

_Nava stepped forward, holding the bag out. "At least take this. There should be enough medical supplies in there to last you until you find a village. Jeong Jeong's eye needs to be treated daily."_

_He nodded, taking the bag from her. "Thank you, Nava."_

_He leaned forward to bow in gratitude and departure; he blushed when the woman leaned forward and kissed his cheek, being caught off guard._

"_Thank you for saving my husband. We will miss you."_

…

"_You never told me why you spared my life." Piandao asked, trailing behind and to the left of Jeong Jeong. They were no longer part of the army, he could walk side-by-side with the man as a companion if he so wished, but he still felt that aura of demanded respect radiating around the fire bender just as strong as it had been on the day they first met. The band of villagers accompanying them, six men altogether, book ended them; three to the front, three to the rear._

"_You never asked."_

"_I'm asking now."_

"_Have you ever killed a man?"_

"_No but-"_

"_Keep your hands- and conscience- free of that burden."_

"_That doesn't answer my question."_

"_Would you have killed me?"_

_The question caught him. His orders had been to capture the deserter by any means necessary; no complaints would have been raised had he returned with a corpse. "Murder is murder no matter the situation. It would go against my morals to take another's life."_

_Jeong Jeong nodded, "I could tell."_

_Piandao shot him a questioning look._

"_It was easy to observe by your fighting stance… and the way you hold your brush when painting. Your eye for detail is outstanding. Are you self-taught?"_

_He was starting to become irritated with how off-topic the conversation was, "Yes I am, but must you continue to change the subject?"_

"_I never changed the subject. You wanted an answer and I'm giving it to you." He stated, "You may have been unfortunate enough to have been born in the Fire Nation, but you are not like them. Your spirit has not been tainted by the savage curse of fire. That is why I spared you."_

_Piandao did not question this line of logic; it made perfect sense._

…

_They set up camp just outside the boundaries of the swamp, deciding it best to pitch the tents where the ground was still guaranteed to be solid. It may be days before they get through the icky water, even if they were trekking around it as much as possible._

"_It's not going to be an easy trip." Piandao held his hands to the fire, catching the warmth the flames provided. The night chill was settling over them; the grass prepared for frost._

"_If deserting the army were easy, more people would consider doing it." Jeong Jeong sat away from the rest of the men, preferring to warm himself with his fire bending than to sit and be sociable around the fire. Piandao let out a small laugh at how blunt the fire bender was; the other men ignored them, continuing their own conversation concerning the swamp._

"_The swamp contains magical properties." Tep spoke up. Piandao had been dismayed when he found out he had volunteered to join their crew. Despite being accepted by the other men, Tep seemed to still resent him, shooting him glares at every possible moment. "They say you see people in that swamp; some of them are ghosts, some are visions of people you'll meet in the future. It's sacred land, that swamp, connected to the Spirit World…"_

_Piandao shook his head; he believed in spirits, yes, but some things seemed a bit out there for him. But let the men have their ghost stories._

…

_Piandao remained by the fire as the rest of the men retired; he had first watch that night. A breeze blew in from behind him, pulling the fire away and bringing a harsh chill to him._

"_I suppose that is one good thing about being a fire bender."_

_Piandao nearly jumped out of his skin; he had thought that Jeong Jeong had went to bed like everyone else. He hid his surprise, "Hm?"_

"_So long as I am conscious, I can use my bending to keep my temperature steady." Jeong Jeong sat beside him, watching the fire flicker with a degree of hate in his gaze._

_Silence. A group of cricketants chirped in the background. He decided to break the silence._

"_When I was a child, I would have given anything to be able to bend fire like you." His tone was near emotionless, quivering on the brink of despair. "They were ashamed that their only son wasn't a great bender, so they took me out of their lives."_

"_You may not think so, but fate showed you great mercy when she chose to make you a nonbender. Fire only brings out the destructive qualities in men."_

_Silence consumed their conversation once again; only the sound of the fire popping and crackling and the sound of the cricketants sung to them. At some point, the fire fell dangerously low in the pit; Jeong Jeong observed this and flicked his wrist. Them flame obeyed him and danced high again. Piandao added more wood to prevent it from lowering again. One of the men came to relieve him of his post not long after that. Piandao stood and retreated to his tent; Jeong Jeong remained sitting by the fire, meditating. _

_This became a nightly event for the pair: Piandao would take first watch, Jeong Jeong would sit up with him. Some times they would talk, others they would meditate. It was nice to have the company, to have a friend._

_***_

Piandao stared at the new outfit he had been given after settling into his tent; he would change into it after he had gotten some sleep. He sat on the blankets provided for him to sleep under, meditating, reflecting. He needed to keep his priorities straight.

He needed to train, to get used to the feel of the uniform and be assured that it would to nothing to hinder him in battle. He also needed to stay focused on the upcoming battle; the meteor was growing ever closer. He couldn't afford to be distracted.

Unfortunately, that meant he would have little time, if any, to try to patch things up. No matter how much he wanted to be close to Jeong Jeong again, fate was not on his side. And after the war, there was no guarantee he'd see the man again…

Sighing, he laid back, burying himself under the blankets. He dreamt a pleasant dream of an altered past- one in which he never returned to the Fire Nation, where he and Jeong Jeong had never fought, never parted ways. He dreamt a horrid nightmare of an unthinkable future- one in which Jeong Jeong died during the battle.


	6. Stresses

A/N: Well, here it is. The long overdue next chapter of this epic work of... epicness. I'm pretty sure there's only like.. tow or three people reaing it, but oh well. I going to continue and fish this one for myself. And because Plushu is a slavedriver and will beat me if I don't (I'm kidding, of course. Plushu is awesome and has been waiting patiently for this for months.). I don't know how many more chapters ther will be now; it's expanded more than I thought it would and the only thing I know for certain now is the epilogue.

Anyway, here it is. A chapter where mostly nothing happens until the end. Yeah.

* * *

The first minutes of morning. Still mostly dark outside; the sun was just beginning it's assault on the sky. Piandao rubbed his eyes wearily. To say he hadn't slept well would be an understatement.

He sighed, observing the battle of dawn; fiery oranges, reds, and pinks were turning the fight in their favor against the dark blues and purples of the lingering night. Only the brightest stars still twinkled, most already being outshone by the sun which just barely peaked its own weary head over the horizon.

Releasing the cloth in his hand, he let the tent flap swing back into place. Stepping back into the still dark room, he knelt by his belongings, shuffling through them until he found and removed his brush and paints, a few sheets of paper following shortly after. There was no better way to clear his mind than by meditating and painting; there was no better time for painting than under a multicolored sky.

--

_Piandao carefully removed the bandages over Jeong Jeong's right eyes, checking the cuts for any sign of infection. Agni be thanked, there weren't any, but they were being slow to heal. Dried blood caked the old bandage that he tossed aside now to be discarded later. He wiped the wounds clean of the dried blood, careful to not reopen them as he had done the night before. He could feel the other golden eye studying him; it was a bit unnerving. _

_"Your hand is shaking." _

_"It is not." It was; ever so slightly, but it was. _

_He brushed several strands of white hair out of Jeong Jeong's face before positioning the fresh bandage over the shut eye. For a fraction of a second, he thought the firebender had leaned into the touch. Wishful thinking, perhaps. He picked up the fresh piece of gauze and the long strip of linen used to secure it around Jeong Jeong's head. His calloused fingers brushed over the paler skin once again as he lined the gauze over the eye with one hand, and lined the cloth up with the other. _

_"Can you hold the gauze still while I tie this?" _

_After Jeong Jeong lifted his hand to hold the cloth in place, Piandao reached around he back of his head to tie the ends of the securing strip, trying not to make it too tight nor too loose. "How does that feel?" _

_Jeong Jeong nodded, "It'll do." _

_"We should have it looked at when we reach Omashu. I want to make sure it's healing properly... and when it will be alright to remove the bandage for good." _

_"So long as I can still see out of it, I will be satisfied." _

_Piandao fell silent as he repacked the supplies, a pang of guilt traveling through him._

--

Piandao spread the blank canvas on the flattest rock he could find, his back turned to the camp; he carefully placed weights on either side to hold it flat. His assortment of inks were lined up across the top for easier access. The brush in his hand was old, the pad of his thumb ran over the worn-out bristles; he would have to get a new one soon, after his job was done here.

Dark eyes roamed across the wilderness before settling on what would be today's subject: a bush, leaves thick and prickly. A spider web glistening with morning dew clungs to it's right side, a lump in the middle showing how recently its owner had eaten. His eyes traveled across the silky silver-white net until he spotted the spider; it was tiny- no bigger than his thumb-, brown, and sitting motionless, waiting for its next hapless prey to become snared in the net.

First, green. Set the background. Gentle strokes, smeared slightly. The bush was not to be the focus. Thin it out here, make it easier to paint over.

He studied the spider as he waited for the base coat to dry. It displayed an incredible amount of patience, never moving in the least. And it wouldn't move until something was caught in the web, helpless and within striking distance.

Now white. This color had to be used sparingly- he was running low. Curve upwards to a sharp point, curve downward again. If he had more paint, he'd detail it for the outstanding intricacies of the web (nature was a far better artist than he); for now, he outlined its basic form, a flimsy skeleton copy of the fleshy original.

A hint of blue to give it a ghostly feel.

Finally brown. A small form sitting, almost appearing to float, on the net. A tiny specter, harbinger of death, cloaked in earthly hues waiting, always waiting.

Something buzzed by his head, tiny, black, wings beating more rapidly than his eyes could catch. A common speckled beetle.

_Breakfast?_ Piandao mused, observing the spider's movements, a subtle twitch, as the beetle landed on a leaf near the web. The beetle crept toward it, crept crept, until it found one of its legs stuck in the net. It panicked, struggled, only entangling itself more. The spider came to life, gliding over the web effortlessly to its prey. It began to crawl around the flailing beetle gracefully, encasing it in fresh webbing, ceasing its erratic movements.

"Still painting?"

Piandao nearly jumped out of his skin.

--

_He wasn't sure what he was thinking when he kissed Jeong Jeong. They were having one of their nightly discussions when, on impulse if he were to blame anything, he leaned over, closing the distance between them rapidly. _

_Jeong Jeong had slipped his eyes closed at some point during a long-winded rant, "And that is why I wish I was a water ben-" _

_He was muffled by a pair of lips suddenly covering his own; his eyes shot open and his body jerked back reflexively. Awkward silence stretched on for an eternity between them until the night watch relief showed up several agonizing minutes later. Piandao had never been so thankful for an excuse to dismiss himself from Jeong Jeong's presence._

--

He never heard Jeong Jeong approaching him. His senses were dulling; he was getting old. He barely turned his head, still somewhere between surprised, angry, and ecstatic at the intrusion of his meditation. "As long as there is beauty to capture, I'll keep translating it onto paper."

Jeong Jeong grunted; Piandao sighed softly, setting the brush down gently beside the paper. He shifted, turned to face the man. "Look, Jeong Jeong-"

"I didn't come here to talk." He grumbled, arms folded irritably across his chest.

Piandao remained silent for a moment; there had to be some reason Jeong Jeong was holding a grudge against him. He knew why, vaguely, but it didn't think it could have made him that bitter. He stood and, as he looked down at the fire bender, remembered just how much taller he was. If Jeong Jeong hadn't been so angry with him, he might have laughed at the almost absurd height difference. "We need to. I don't want there to be any animosity between us…"

He trailed off. Angry eyes stared him down, birds of prey studying their target. The scars had healed well, but still stood out on the canvas of skin beside his right eye. Slowly, he reached out, wanting to trace the scars, to touch that face once again. Jeong Jeong's brows furrowed, lips drawn into a tight scowl, and swatted his hand away. Piandao gaped. How had the firebender grown so cold?

"Don't touch me, Piandao."

Frustration washed over his shock, replacing it in a matter of seconds. "What is your problem?"

"I'm not yours to touch anymore."

Tension loomed in the silence.

A sigh. "Let me make things right again."

Nostrils flared, Jeong Jeong began to walk off. Piandao grabbed his shoulder. Another glare directed itself at him. "You want to make things right?! You should never have left me to begin with!"

Shoulders slumped as the bender wrenched out of his grip, Piandao watched with hurt-consumed eyes as Jeong Jeong stormed off. He had never fathomed how much he had hurt him when he had returned to the Fire Nation.

Jeong Jeong disappeared into the camp, Piandao sighed. He quietly gathered up his supplies and began to trudge back to his tent to prepare for the day.

He had to mend their broken relationship; even if it was only a little, just enough to keep Jeong Jeong from being perpetually angry at him, maybe to at least be friends again, he had to fix it.


End file.
